Like sand in an hourglass: 300 things I love
by Lock Lokidottir
Summary: When you love someone, you catalogue all their habits, their likes and dislikes. As time passes, like a trickling of sand in an hour glass, and days turn into weeks, weeks to years, you discover many things about the person you love. In no order, here are the things the men know and love about each other. Rate and review please!
1. Green eyes (EDITED)

_Hello my little fruitcakes!_

_A little gift for you all! Thank you so much for reviewing, faving and reading my other stories... I am so sorry that I haven't been updating as fast as you (and I) would like- tests, revision and damned exhaustion/stress combo keep getting in my way! I envy you who are no longer 13._

_Anyway, a little gift for you who stick by me. It was a request from a girl at school, who is an avid reader. Feel free to add some suggestions! I'm open- either send me a message or say in the review._

_T.G.W.W (Lock) xx_

* * *

_When you love someone, you catalogue all their habits, their likes and dislikes. As time passes, like a trickling of sand in an hour glass, and days turn into weeks, weeks to years, you discover many things about the person you love._

_Some are good, like where Sherlock can tickle John in the place that makes him go weak kneed. Some are bad._

_However, the men both love each other with all the love they are capable of. In no particular order, here are 300 things the men know and love about each other._

* * *

*Sherlock loves John. This is 'obvious'-as he would say. He loves everything about John, and if he were to choose, it would be John's personality; the way he can swear like no tomorrow, the patience of a saint, and how he has calm and understanding nature. It baffles Sherlock how one person can have so many good qualities.

*John, in turn, loves Sherlock. He too loves everything about Sherlock, but three things take top place. The first? The great brain and the deduction… even after three years of living with Sherlock, it still amazes him. John has tried to deduct, don't doubt that, but he usually embarrass himself.

*The second is probably the most fascinating- Sherlock's hands. John has spent countless hours watching the large pale things move, almost as if they were an independent organism. The way the cradle the violin at three in the morning, the way the handle corpses with surprising grace is enough to knock John breathless.

*The third? Sherlock's eyes. What colour are they? Are they blue? Green? Grey? John loves the way they can almost pierce you, look through the exterior and almost into your very soul- every time Sherlock gazes at John goosebumps rise on his arms.

*John is five foot six inches tall. Before he met Sherlock (and ultimately became his lover) he used to always wish to be taller. I mean, he knew that his height was average for the modern Englishman, but everyone seemed to tower over him. It made him feel… inadequate in a way.

*It's kind of ironic, because Sherlock always wished the opposite to John- he used to want to be smaller. More compact. Because, look at the man- a gangling, leggy man that was at least a foot above everyone else drew quite a lot of attention even if you were trying to be discreet.

*Note… I say 'used' to, because the boys don't wish to change, not anymore. They found that they were both the perfect height for one another- when they hugged, or kissed, John was the perfect height (coming just below Sherlock's chin) and Sherlock was tall enough to only have to dip his head slightly to reach John.

*Speaking of hugs, and kisses… John has had a total of seven partners in his life. One was in nursery (her name was Janie, if he can remember rightly) or even if you could call her a 'girlfriend'. Then he had two in senior school, one girl (Clarisse- she had had blonde hair and deep blue eyes) and one called Jackson (who was his first male partner, and the longest lasting relationship to date). In medical school he kissed a few people at the leavers party, whether that counts that he woke up next to someone else counts or not doesn't matter (but in Johns world, it does, so we'll just add that to the count). Before he left for Afghanistan, he had had another female partner, Gwen. She had had long ginger hair and pale green eyes, and John was besotted, but it didn't last. Lastly, came Sherlock- do we need to say more? John is, and will always be Sherlock's other half.

*Sherlock surprised John when he asked if he had ever had a partner- he had. Her name was Anniesa, and she had had dark curly hair, chestnut coloured skin and startlingly blue eyes. Sherlock was besotted, his fifteen year old hormones going wild… but it didn't last. Sherlock (according to Mycroft) was distraught when it didn't work, and until John came along (seventeen years later) he hadn't allowed himself to give into love.

*Before wanting to be a doctor, he wanted two things: at the age of five, he wanted to be a plane. When he realised things like genetics undermined that idea, he wanted to be a pilot, until the age of eight. But at age eight, something triggered his desire to be a doctor- he can't remember what exactly triggered it.

*Sherlock didn't actually know what he wanted to do, so he just floated for a while- he went to university because there wasn't anything for him to do. Sherlock is sure that he played around with forensics, then medicine, then something else (not important=deleted) after before he elected to be a detective. Specifically, a consulting detective.

*If you ask Sherlock what colour his eyes are, he'll say green and turn away before you can protest. Then you'll say they're grey, and he won't say anything- his eyes, he insists, are green, not grey. He has only seen grey eyes once, and his eyes aren't it.

*John had one member of his family that he trusted after his father died (when he was eleven). It was his grandfather, John or 'Johnny'.

*Sherlock wasn't close to anyone during his childhood. Mycroft was busy, he got the impression that his mother and father couldn't care less and by the time he could walk and talk, his aunts and uncles and grandparents were dead. He however is glad John got the privilege.

*John has two rings, which were given to him by Granpa Johnny. The reason? Granpa Johnny knew he was walking in deaths shadow- Johnny had said John would meet someone special soon. On closer inspection, John realised it was two wedding rings.

John hadn't met anyone as soon as he would've hoped, but when he walked into Bart's and saw Sherlock… well, in his mind's eye, he could see Grandpa Johnny smiling.

* Sherlock has two siblings. Mycroft, who works for the government and is seven years older, and a younger sister, Violet. Violet is one of the lesser known Holmes, and she is like Sherlock, but in a feminine version. Both are incredibly smart, both had angular faces and they both have unruly hair. She, however, was generally more eccentric and rebellious so as a result Violet was sent away when Sherlock was sixteen to a centre claiming they could 'fix' her. They wrote to each other, and she met a someone there- they moved to France as soon as they got out and Sherlock hasn't heard from them since, save for an occasional Christmas card.

*John has a sister, Harry, who irks him no end. He also had a twin brother called Jamie, but he sadly died when John was a year old from cot death. John does think about him sometimes, and wonders how similar they would be. However, the thought makes him rather sad.

*Sherlock has seen John cry many times, however he has only seen John cry only once while he was awake. The rest is where the doctor is trapped in his own body, in his own dreams and they take him back to the battlefield, with rabid dogs and death round every corner. During those dreams Sherlock holds John close and kisses his hair until he settles, whimpers lost into the night.

*John has seen Sherlock cry once, save for the time it was fake and for a case. They were both taking on four criminals, and three rounded on John, wanting to 'Rip the little shits eyes out'. They knocked John to the ground before Sherlock possibly murdered them there and then. John had a fracture in his eye socket and jaw from where he fell, and it had taken Sherlock well over four hours to calm himself down.

*Sherlock isn't a psychopath, or sociopath. He made that up (quite cleverly, if you ask him) on the spot simply to see the look on Anderson's face. However, he does have a slight touch of autism.

*John has an IQ of 127. He had a test when he was 12 and he has always been quite proud of it.

*Sherlock knows he has a higher than average intelligence. He had numerous tests when he was a child, and he has an IQ of 159. However, he doesn't like to measure intelligence that way, so he deleted it as soon as he found out.

*John has an interesting nature. He can be calm and rational, very bossy and also so angry even Sherlock wants to flinch away. John can be a magnificent lover, and a wonderful man, but he can also say things that can make you cry. Sherlock once described it like 'Fire and ice'.

*Sherlock's personality type is an INTJ.

*John's personality type is hard to define. He hasn't been officially tested, unlike Sherlock, but he thinks he is a cross between an ISFJ and an ISFP.

*John used to smoke, but he quit once he enrolled in the army. He almost immediately noticed that he was healthier, and fitter and after the initial cravings had worn off he realised he felt better. He hasn't smoked one since.

* When we think of Sherlock's personality, we think of words like 'cold', 'aloof', 'arrogant' and 'rude'. However, John thinks Sherlock is none of those things- once you break through the tough shell, and get close to his heart, John would describe Sherlock as 'Magnificent', 'Wonderful', 'elegant', 'smart' and 'funny'. He is absolutely a fan-fucking-tastic lover, if you ask John.

*People often look at John and Sherlock together and feel sorry for John. When they ask John whether he would change Sherlock, John usually snaps back at them (and sends them cowering into a corner). He usually gets irked when people ask Sherlock to be less arrogant, more quiet and generally less eccentric… because Sherlock is Sherlock. Sherlock is the man he fell in love with, so if anyone has a problem with him then bring it up with the Army Doctor, understand? Good.

*Sherlock has a middle name. Two, actually. Sherlock William Jacque Holmes. He always wishes he had a less grand name, but he honestly cannot be bothered to change the name he has had for thirty something years.

*John has three scars- one was from senior schools cookery class, where he was larking about with some friends and he accidently dropped a knife in his foot. The second was where Harry had pushed him out of a tree when they were kids and he caught his chin on a branch; the third was from the war. The war scar (or shoulder scar, whichever you want to call it) is, in John's opinion, one of the ugliest things he has ever seen. Right on the swell of muscle, it stretches a massive three inches across and down, like a pale octopus. He tries to avoid it when he's changing and tries to cover it up in intimate moments with Sherlock, but Sherlock never wants John to hide it. Sherlock doesn't see it as something to be ashamed of- he sees it as a mark John has survived, and fought. He sees it as the reason John came home, met Mike and then in turn met Sherlock that day in the lab.

For that scar, Sherlock will be forever grateful.

* * *

**Please review. They are to me what cases are to Sherlock and tea is to John ;)**


	2. Eyeliner and lipstick

*You would think Sherlock is a naturally cold person. I mean, just look at him- the pale skin, the piercing eyes, the dark hair- who would think that his body temperature was quite high? Not John. Definitely not John. So it was such a surprise when John realised Sherlock's body temperature was way above average for the normal person- but really, with all the surprises Sherlock has flung at john, was it such a surprise at all?

*John, on the other hand, is a naturally cold person. He has tried everything- from kitting himself out in thermals to slippers- but he still cannot get warm.

*Sherlock does like to get warm in bed, and he used to be a notorious cover stealer. As 'punishment' almost, John used to put his feet on Sherlock's back which usually resulted in Sherlock jerking out of his dream and falling down the side of the bed. Sherlock doesn't steal the covers anymore.

*John isn't a very touchy feely person, however on those days where his body stubbornly refuses to warm up he likes nothing better than to cuddle up to his own personal heater… a personal heater that can talk- ('Jesus John, your _feet!')_

*Sherlock surprises John all the time. For example, John was actually _very _surprised when Sherlock turned out to be a fantastic lover… but with bated breath, for the first few weeks John almost waited for Sherlock to suddenly have a very intense interest for something like BDSM. However, it never came. (And John was never so happy to be wrong.)

*John hates pizza. He has no idea when his hatred started (because he loved pizza in childhood), but he reasoned it probably started from medical school- the consistency of the cheese, the way it oozes and slimes and the way the pizza crackles really doesn't bring up pleasant memories.

*Sherlock, despite his very thin exterior, will try anything and everything. He so far has tried a number of exotic dishes: crickets, frogs, octopus, canard à la Rouennaise, Durian (which is actually rather good), and Casu Marzu, just to name a few. He liked everything except for the Casu Marzu, which made him thoroughly sick (The silly goon forgot that once the maggots died it would become potentially toxic, so what did he do? Eat it, dead maggots and all… the _whole block of cheese__._).

*When asked what his favourite meal is, John will automatically say 'peanut butter and jelly'. While this is an oddly American choice for such an uptight Englishman, he loves it- especially with strawberry jam.

*You rarely see Sherlock not chewing gum. Well, actually, you rarely see him chew it, he sort of places it under his tongue- anyway, Sherlock's favourite flavour of gum is Grape.

*John loathes gum. He once reached under a chair to grab his phone out from under there, only to discover the hiding place for all of Sherlock's chewed gum (which was now all over his phone). The phone flew across the room and John went to wash his hands about seven times, but he still felt the phantom of the squishy gum there.

*Sherlock cannot play an instrument (save the violin) to save his life. He tinkered away on the piano, his fingers pressing the wrong keys; he frittered away hours on the cello, never getting any better; he tried the recorder once, but never again. However, he fell in love with the violin when he was fifteen and never looked back.

*John tried to play the clarinet in school. He was rather good at it, if you ask him- however he always wanted to play the flute. There was just something so amazing about such a beautiful sound coming out of what is really a long silver bar that enticed John in.

*Sherlock can speak Latin fluently, his favourite language. He can hold an in depth conversation in German, interrogate someone in Punjabi and swear at someone in French.

*John loves to hear the French because once he understood it was hilarious; the German because it sounds so primitive; the Punjabi because it is so guttural, and the Latin simply because it sounds so beautiful coming from his lovers lips. Just hearing Sherlock jabber away was enough for John to go starry eyed.

*Sherlock notices everything. He notices when he is speaking in a language other than English John goes as red as the sun and his pupils dilate- of course he does... the reaction just makes him do it all the more.

*John can speak Dari, one of the main languages of Afghanistan, fluently. He can speak quite well in Pakhto, and can understand Arabic writing (but he cannot speak it) and he can understand a few words of Hebrew (courtesy of dating Jackson, who was Jewish).

*Mycroft keeps threatening Sherlock with a knighthood, or if he has done something extremely good (or bad, whichever way you want to think about it) a _lordship._ Sherlock doesn't want that, despite Johns reasoning- he would far rather remain somewhat undercover rather than be thrust even further into the public's blinking eye.

*John has 2 doctorates- one in Bio-chemistry and the other Biology.

*Sherlock doesn't believe in one specific god, per se. He is 'on the fence', meaning that he doesn't believe, nor does he disbelieve. Mycroft and Violet were surprised at this- both are Atheists, but all the Holmes's were raised as Christian.

*John was raised a Christian. He is also a believer in fate, and is quite superstitious- John once went mental when Sherlock put an umbrella up indoors, and Sherlock was bewildered (he didn't think superstitions were important enough to keep on his hard drive).

*Sherlock believes in Ghosts, and with perfect reasoning- 'Do you know that the body is controlled by electrical impulses? Well, if you didn't, you do now. Do you also know that energy cannot be created or destroyed? So what happens to that electricity? It's an energy, it cannot just go 'poof' and it doesn't exist anymore, John- so where does it go?'

*John has a love affair with Doctor Who- John used to sit and watch it with Harry when they were younger, and when the Daleks came on both would hide behind the sofa. He recently found it again, and was so glad he did.

*Sherlock doesn't act normal- more like a machine than anything else- but he does give into little 'human' habits now and again. One of his worst, or best, habits is _twiddling_. Seriously, he does it with everything- his phone, his hair, his shirts. The shirts are most defiantly the second most calming sort of twiddling he can engage in- the soft roll of fabric in between his fingers is rather soothing . The first most calming twiddling he can engage in is damn well _petting _John's jumpers- and most of the time the man himself is still _in_ them.

*John loves Sherlock in drag. The first time they had a case which required a long red wig, bright green contact lenses, a red dress, sheer tights and black stillettos (all worn by Sherlock) John nearly choked on his tea.

He has no idea what that means, what dents that puts in his sexuality armour, he just _knows _he loves Sherlock in drag.

*Sherlock completely agrees with John. In fact, he applies his makeup so flawlessly and fusses so much over his appearance that he thinks he would've been a better woman.

*John, when a case requires it, will usually take on the more masculine roles. Of course, he and Sherlock argued over it first ('No, Sherlock, _no. _I'm _not_ wearing damned eyeliner and lipstick- I was a solider, don't hurt my masculinity for Christ sakes!'). So far in the years of working with Sherlock he has been an officer (stealing the required things off of Lestrade), a soldier, a doctor, dentist, zoo keeper, vicar, chief and a pilot.

*It shocks people how soft Sherlock can be to children; how kind, how genuine, how _human_. Sherlock tries his best not to upset, to distress and he tries to be as gentle towards them as possible. It swells John's heart to twice the usual size and makes his eyes smart.

*John loves children- he has a cousin who has just had a baby and Sherlock looked in wonderment as Johns eyes lit up, as he smiled and cooed over this little pink thing in a blue blanket. He then looked up at 'Lock and smiled- but there was no mistaking the slight tear that escaped before John hastily wiped it away.

*On a way up to Brighton Sherlock and John got round to discussing children. John voiced his opinion on same-sex couples having children ('Sherlock, it isn't right- a kid needs both sex parents. What if kids at school found out? They'd have the piss ripped out of them.') and Sherlock voiced his ('If they have loving parents then it wouldn't matter- if we loved them they would grow into beautiful adults and having same sex parents wouldn't make a difference.'). John smiled and shook his head- he personally thought that ship had long since sailed, but seeing his lover bite his lip, his hair in the setting sun and his brow furrow in concern a strange warmness gathered in John's chest.

*Sherlock would later convince John to have children, once genetic engineering had come on to the point where two couples could split their genes and almost stick two halves together, before going on in the normal process. They were later gifted with four children- Aroura, Ginny, Malaki and Rose. But that's a story for another day… one hoped to be told soon.

_Rate and review please! Feel free to submit ideas or questions, either through private messaging or review! Also, a question- would you like to hear the story of Aroura, Ginny, Malaki and Rose? Thank you! S x_


	3. Or, to you and I, a Goldfish

**_I am sorry. I know, I know, it's been months; however, my life's been hectic. It still is- I'm gonna have to stay up an extra hour to do my DT 'cause of this! But think of it as a peace offering... please? :)_**

**_It looks like I am saying sorry after every chapter in any story I write- however, it annoys me if someone goes 'Oh, yeah, you haven't heard from me in months, but shut up cause I wrote a story that you will damn-well like. 'Nuff said.' I just want you all to know I am trying, but it's quite hard at the moment. _**

**_Thank you for reading though. I really do appreciate it! :)_**

**_The Girl Who Wanders (Lock). x_**

**_NOTE: Laurel and Hardy are old-time famous comedians. Wallace and Gromit are like... an old animated series involving play-dough. Long story, but they feature- you may want to use google. _**

* * *

* Sherlock and John used to both ride motorbikes in their youth.

*In fact, Sherlock only just found that out. It was very safe to safe to say that he went away extremely uncomfortable in his lower extremities when he accidentally-on-purpose walked in on John straddling Lestrade's new black motorbike. _Awkward._

*There are three instances where Sherlock loves surprises: at crime scenes, in a conversation with John, or when opening a birthday gift.

*John emphatically—and he would like to underline this with truculent gestures and maybe a self-righteous glare- doesn't give a flying fuck what you think of him. If you want to share it, maybe give him a shove or prod or poke in the chest to underline the point, then that's fine also; however, you must bear in mind that John Watson _was_ a solider, and if you say anything about his puffy haired Sweety, he will _not _hesitate in killing you. Got that? Okay.

* Puffy hair? Um, no, not according to Sherlock himself: he's supposedly got a big head. Because yes, even consulting geniuses believe the simple statement: big head = big brain = brilliant. Funny thing is, research supports this assertion, contradicts this assertion, then throws up its hands and says who knows please stop asking. The funny thing is, no one realizes that Sherlock's head is exactly normal size; the detective just has big, puffy hair.

* John has to have strong tea- or, as us English say, 'builders tea'. With half a sugar, if you don't mind.

*If John survives until retirement he'll be pleasantly surprised. If Sherlock survives until next week, John'll be shocked. John's never known anyone as troublesome as Sherlock.

*John, after many days of studying at uni, used to go and draw in his moleskin notebook, using ink and charcoal.

*John's hand now is quite unpractised, but for his and Sherlock's wedding anniversary he drew a detailed diagram of a bee (which could easily rival those found in textbooks). It is very safe to say Sherlock loved it.

*John is a leftie, predominately. However, since 70% of the population are _right handed, _John has had to sometimes make do with his right.

* A man named John is bound to be partial old-fashioned names and Doctor Watson is no exception. As matter of fact if you're a bit bored, ask the good doctor what he thinks of celebs naming their children Peaches and Bluejay. Be prepared to hide your smile and nod quite a bit because his answer will be long and involve a certain degree of swearing.

*Sherlock has a lot of things that _should _worry him.

Should...

Doesn't.

*As a band of Sherlockians, it's quite easy to say that Sherlock and John are besotted with each other. However, guess what? Sherlock gets jealous of women. Especially ones that are John's 'type'.

*Speaking like a thirteen year old girl at a sleepover, when Sherlock was asked, he wasn't sure he had a type. Anyone who could put up with him would do. Preferably loyal, with some military training so that they don't run screaming the moment they find a head in the fridge. _But how _would he know that that was his type?

He didn't.

Just ask a certain army doctor for the full story.

*Sherlock does horse riding, would you believe? Why else would he have a crop? (Our more dirty-minded readers shouldn't answer- that question was entirely rhetorical).

*John has a blue laptop- the one he is most often seen with, however, is a steel grey one (Sherlock's).

*Sherlock had several fish. He's quite fond of _Carassius auratus auratus_, or to you and I (what with our tiny little brains) Goldfish.

*Sherlock had several, actually- Newton, Pepper, Einstien, Platomy, Darwin and Hubble were ordinary fancy goldfish, while after that he had a taking to a bubble goldfish and called it Cavendish.

*John never really was good with animals. At all.

*You see, young John had mice, and named them after famous pairings- Wallace and Gromit, Laurel and Hardy, Bubble and squeak and so on. However, you can only have so many pairings before you start to have to use roman numerals in their names. Frankly, they died so quickly that the numerals came into their names within a year.

*While we're on the subject, John also had a pet turtle. But it escaped. Honestly, how can someone lose something that has a top speed of a mile per year? Anyway, John's mum thought it had broken through part of their fence and was sadly harvested in the field next door.

*As a result, John now opens every packet of cornflakes with fear.

*Sherlock insists on being titled a _Consulting detective; _and_ really_ John, you must learn the difference. Being addressed by anything else simply will not do.

* Sherlock often plays with fire. There is something deeply wonderful about how the flame twists and turns in its own little circles and curls in on itself that amazes him.

*John has technically been dead once. Obviously in Afghanistan, when he was shot; it was actually a miracle that, given the shitty equipment, he did live another day.

*Sherlock's catchphrases are (in most used order): 'bored', 'John!', 'No…', 'No, I didn't shoot the wall, Mrs Hudson' and 'John'll pay'.

*John has AB blood.

*Sherlock has O+ blood.

*John usually makes a fuss out of nothing. Usually. One thing he can't stand to see is Sherlock hurt himself- the first time he willingly cut himself in order to get O+ blood for an experiment it took John twenty minutes to calm down, half of that used to breath into a paper bag.

* John can swim. Sherlock can't. It's these little victories that keep John strong and Sherlock forever infuriated.


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